The Honda Accord once again tops The National Insurance Crime Bureau's list of most stolen vehicles.
/ MGN
COLUMBIA (WACH) -- The Honda Accord once again tops the National Insurance Crime Bureau's (NICB) list of most stolen vehicles.
Nationwide, the 1994 Accord has occupied the top spot on the list for the past four years.
In South Carolina the 1997 Accord was the most stolen vehicle in 2011.
Despite the Accord's staying power on the list the NICB points out the total number of vehicle thefts in the U.S. is dropping.
The NICB reports that according to 2011 FBI crime statistics there has been more than a 3 percent reduction from the 737,142 thefts recorded in 2010.
That is the lowest number of vehicle thefts since 1967.
“While overall thefts continue to decline, we are seeing a trend toward increases in the thefts of late model vehicles − ones that are theoretically harder to steal due to sophisticated key code technology,” said NICB President and CEO Joe Wehrle.
“Today’s vehicle thieves are typically professional criminals who have figured out how to get the key code for a specific vehicle, have a replacement key made, and steal the vehicle within a matter of days," Wehrle said. "We are aware of nearly 300 thefts that took place in the first three months of this year in which we believe replacement keys using illegally obtained key codes were used to steal the vehicle."
Watch the video above for tips from the NICB on how to avoid key code thefts.
For 2011, the most-stolen vehicles were:
| | In the United States | | In South Carolina |
| 1 | 1994 Honda Accord | 1 | 1997 Honda Accord |
| 2 | 1998 Honda Civic | 2 | 1997 Ford Pickup (Full Size) |
| 3 | 2006 Ford Pickup (Full Size) | 3 | 1999 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size) |
| 4 | 1991 Toyota Camry | 4 | 2002 Ford Explorer |
| 5 | 2000 Dodge Caravan | 5 | 2000 Ford Crown Victoria |
| 6 | 1994 Acura Integra | 6 | 2000 Dodge Caravan |
| 7 | 1999 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size) | 7 | 1995 Toyota Camry |
| 8 | 2004 Dodge Pickup (Full Size) | 8 | 2001 Dodge Pickup (Full Size) |
| 9 | 2002 Ford Explorer | 9 | 1999 Ford Pickup (Small Size) |
| 10 | 1994 Nissan Senra | 10 | 1995 Chevrolet Pickup (Small Size) |
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